Having a good training plan is key to helping you achieve your goals, but it's not everything. Overtraining can happen for a large number of reasons that have nothing to do with your training plan, which is why it is so important, especially for us athletes over 40. If you are concerned about overtraining but not sure if your training plan is to blame, this episode is for you. If You Want to Prevent Over Training, You Should: Make sure that you are fueling appropriately for the level of activity you are doing Learn how to fluctuate your intensity in your training to promote active recovery Dont forget the importance of viewing sleep as a non-negotiable The #1 Problem I See If you want to have a high energy output when it comes to your training, you need to have a high energy input; it is as simple as that. Not fueling properly for the activity level you are engaging in results in an energy mismatch that can have a serious effect on your results. Not eating enough is the biggest problem I see in my clients and community. Undereating for the level of activity you are doing will put you in a state of low energy availability, and it will be impossible or even dangerous for you to push to the level you want in your training. Finding a System That Works The good news is an athlete over 40, you don't need to do less of the things that you love; you just have to be clever about it. Allowing your body to properly and actively rest is another major key to gaining better adaptation through your training.  Fluctuating your intensity to allow for proper rest is the only way that you are going to make progress in a sustainable way. By blending your active recovery with your intensity and learning to listen to what your body is telling you, you can avoid overtraining and get better at the things you love to do. Have you ever considered that your overtraining might have to do with something other than your movement program? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode Understanding my personal backstory when it comes to overtraining (3:12) The problem with making up your own programming when you don't have enough experience (10:33) One of the biggest issues I see out there in the world that may be impacting your training (15:00) The first thing that you need to do to prevent a state of overtraining (22:14) Why you need to be strict about your sleep and active recovery (29:09) Quotes “I have made all of these mistakes. I have taken the long ass way to figure them out. And luckily for you, I have been able to condense all of that learning, all of the education, from both formal education to the school of hard knocks, and put it in the resources, the podcast, the private podcast, the courses, the coaching that I do.” (7:26) “I’m doing this episode for you because I want you to be able to look outside of just the training plan itself and figure out if you are really overtraining or if there are other things at play.” (10:02) “Your eating has to support your training.” (20:29) “You can do it! You can do it all! You just have got to fluctuate the intensity of those things.” (24:17) “Yes, having a smart training plan matters. But being able to adjust the plan is just as important.” (28:20) Featured on the Show Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Find the full show notes here Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes! Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative Support the Podcast Get 20% off Legion Supplements with code STEPH Get 10% off GORUCK with code FYS10 Follow Steph on Instagram Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Related Episodes FYS 394: Within-Day Energy Deficit FYS 392: Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure  FYS 391: What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)?